WE Colloquium: Dr. Andrew Wessman, Additive Manufacturing of Nickel Superalloys

Abstract

Additive manufacturing is a burgeoning area of research in both mechanical and materials engineering as a many industries are rapidly increasing the use of 3D printing to make engineered components. Adoption in the aerospace industry is especially rapid, where the combination of part complexity and low volumes is well suited to the current state of the additive manufacturing technologies. Nickel superalloys, a class of materials used at high temperatures in applications such as turbine engines and rocket nozzles, are being increasingly used in additive manufacturing to produce complex structural components to improve performance, reduce weight and reduce system costs. This presentation will provide an overview of GE Additive, one of the world’s leading providers of additive manufacturing machines, materials and services, and will discuss some of the materials science aspects of additive manufacturing of the nickel superalloy Rene 65.

Bio

Dr. Andrew Wessman is a Staff Engineer at GE Additive. During 13 years at GE, he worked at GE Aviation to develop polycrystalline nickel superalloys for use in turbine engine rotating parts. This work also included developing the forging, welding and ICME capabilities necessary to utilize these materials in safety critical components. Dr. Wessman moved to GE Additive prior to the launch of the new GE business in early 2017, and is currently leading development of high temperature materials and processes for additive manufacturing. He has B.S. and M.S. degrees in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Utah and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from the University of Cincinnati. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering at The Ohio State University.